[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Gary Poyner wrote:

Unfortunately I was just too young to go on the Monte Umbe trip (15y), but I was old enough to go to Earls Court to see Pink Floyd in May of ’73 to hear the whole of Dark Side of the Moon live. An eclipse is just an eclipse, but this gig will never be forgotton! I have no regrets.

Interestingly, EMI gave a press reception at the London Planetarium in February 1973 just after the release of DSOTM, but only Richard Wright of the band attended. The others were not happy with the inferior sound system brought in by EMI. Fussy lot these rock gods

Gary

Indeed! I didn’t make the DSotM tour in ’73 but did go to see them at Wembley in ’74 (I was 14) thanks to a huge trip organised by our very own Dr John Mason! There were two coaches that went from the Chichester High School for Boys!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by Mr Ian David Sharp.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

It’s been a few days since I posted an update on the RVB photometry of supernova SN 2023ixf in M101. I’ve been away on holiday for a few days and haven’t been able to process my observations. Here’s my updated graph which still shows a gradual decline in magnitude and a widening B-V value. My data covers nearly 40 days so far…
I was able to control my system at Pixel Skies Astro with my phone whilst I was in a boat in the wilds of the Norfolk Broads!

Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_23_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Andy Wilson wrote:

I have implemented a change to the BAA Photometry Database that should resolve this problem.

Wow! You Sir, are a star! (a variable one?)

I just tested it on the two sets of obs. I made the other night from the UK and Spain. I’ve attached the light-curves together in the database. Amazing, you can’t tell the difference!

Brilliant!

Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   Two_Obs_BAA.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Andy Wilson wrote:

So it is probably worth giving this a few days as I may be able to easily make a change to the duplicate check.

Many thanks Andy.
Ian

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Robin Leadbeater wrote:

A continuation of the animation of the spectrum. Part 2 covers 2023-05-27 to 2023-06-13 and shows the transition from an almost featureless spectrum to one showing more typical broad P Cygni Balmer lines

Superb!

I have attached my updated photometry graph with new data from both observatories last night (14/15 June).

Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_14_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Dr Andrew Smith wrote:

It is run by two of the most helpful people you could wish to meet. I have nothing but good to say about the facility.

I can second that. I’ve had a setup there for nearly 2 years. I’ve just replaced a 104mm APO with a C11.

Ian.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Hi Andrew,

I saw your lovely setup during my visit there last month.

As much as I’d love to have two piers there I don’t think I can stretch to that!

What I can say, for others who might be looking, is that the facilities there are superb and well managed. Spotlessly clean!

Best Regards
Ian.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Hi all,

Here’s my updated magnitude plot as of last night (12/13 June).

Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_12_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Dr Paul Leyland wrote:

Perhaps a longer series of measurements at a very wide range of magnitudes (from 7 to 17 perhaps) of a standard field (likely a Landolt field) may be mre informative.

Thanks Paul,

I’ve been reading about the Landolt fields in the AAVSO Transformation process. I think I’ll try and give it a shot…

Cheers
Ian.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Good morning,

Attached is my updated graph up to last night (8/9 June).

The B-V settled at +0.29

Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_08_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Kwong Man wrote:

Thanks for your excellent imaging and analysis of the supernova. I was wondering, how you manage to get so much data, my skies are quite cloudy and even quite windy.
Also how do you find the M101 so accurately, which software and platesolving software do you use ?

Hi Kwong,

Well, I have to say that I cannot remember a clear spell like the one we are having here in the UK at the moment! I don’t want to jinx it but it has been clear almost every night for weeks! I also have a remote observatory in Spain but the weather there has been terrible for weeks!

I acquire my images using software called Sequence Generator Pro. This does all of the scheduling for my imaging runs and I use PlateSolve2 or ASTAP for my platesolving:

https://www.hnsky.org/astap.htm
https://planewave.com/download/platesolve2/

Cheers
Ian

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Mr Ian David Sharp.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Hi all,

Here is my updated mag graph from last night.

B-V = +0.295

Ian.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Mr Ian David Sharp.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by Mr Ian David Sharp.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_06_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Morning!

Here’s my updated mag. graph with last night’s results.
B-V now +0.28

Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_04_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

I’ve added last night’s data (2/3 June) – see attached graph.

B-V = +0.26

Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_2nd_Jun_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Lars Lindhard wrote:

Any explanation for the drop in blue magnitude?

Yes, as Andy has explained – cooling.
Ian.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Here’s my latest graph including last night’s results (31st May). I make B-V = +0.24.
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_31st_May_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Hi Grant,

I own 3 of those SX Midi wheels and also a larger one for 2″ filters and I have only had the droop issue when I was connecting one to a small WO71 APO with a fairly heavy ATIK CCD. I think it was the CCD that did most of the drooping in that case!

The other scopes I use have much more robust focusers such as Moonlite on my C9.25, and the Tak focuser on my Tak 85. These focusers are designed to carry much heavier loads.

I don’t think that the SX Midi FW is a particularly heavy example of a filter wheel, so I don’t think I can say anything that will help with your current setup. I think I would have to fall in the ‘buy another focuser’ camp!

Cheers
Ian.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Mr Ian David Sharp.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by Mr Ian David Sharp.

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Good morning all,

See the attached for the graph of my continuing nightly R, V and B measurements. The continuing drop in blue magnitude is fascinating. B-V was +0.18 last night.

Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_29th_May_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Today’s update attached.
Cheers
Ian.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_28th_May_ids.jpg
   

[Mr Ian David Sharp]

Robin Leadbeater wrote:

Yes my spectrum from last night shows it cooling further to a black body temperature of ~12000K and a fit to an A3v star continuum with a B-V = +0.1

Here’s today’s RVB magnitude plot. The cooling clearly visible with the latest point B-V = +0.12.

Attachments:

1. 

   SN2023ixf_27th_May_ids.jpg
   

[Author]

Posts